Draw-gear and buffing apparatus.



No. 687,463. Patented Nov. 26, |901'. G. WESTINGHUSE.

DRAW GEAR -AND BUFFING APPARATUS.

4 (Application led Nov. 2, 19400. Renewed Sept. 25, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

vNITED STATES PATENT; Fries,

GEORGE WESTlNGI-IOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAW-GEAR AND BU-FFING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming pant 0f Letters Patent NO. 687,468, dated November 26, 1901. Application filed November 2, 1900. Renewed September 25, 1901. Serial No. 76,535. (No model.)

To al?, whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTINGHoUsE, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Draw- Gear and Bufng Apparatus, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to and is an improvement in draw-gear and buffing apparatus for railroad-Vehicles of the general class or type known as friction draw-gear, in which strains of draft and buifing are opposed and absorbed by frictional resistance elements acting either in conjunction with preliminary spring resistance elements or exerting in and of themselves the requisite resistance, an instance of late design of such class or type being exemplified iu Letters Patent of the United States No. 629,943, granted and issued to me under date of August 1, 1899.

My present invention more particularly relates to friction drawgear in which a preliminary spring resistance element is not employed, although it is not necessarily limited thereto; and its object is to provide a frictional draft and bufting appliance in which the structure and combined operative relation of the detailed members shall be such as to enable a substantial reduction in the number of parts to be made and the expense and delay of machining parts to be materially reduced.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fullyset forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure- 1 is a plan or top view of a draft and buffing apparatus illustrating an application of my invention Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken in a plane adjoining one of the side flanges of the supporting-plate; Fig. 3, a transverse section at the line :c of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a side view in elevation of the draw-bar and carrier detached.

In the practice of my invention a draw-bar 1, provided with a suitable coupling-head la, which is preferably of the vertical-plane automatic-coupler type, is fitted to traverse longitudinally below or between the center sills 5 of the frame of a car or other railroad-vehicle, at each end thereof or, if preferred, between draft-timbers or draw-gear supports of any suitable and preferred construction, the

outer end of the draw-bar and the connected coupling-head projecting, as usual, beyond the end sill 6. Tractive force and strains of draft and buffing applied to the draw-bar 1 are transmitted therefrom to the car-frame through a frictional resistance mechanism,` presently to be described, which is held in operative relation to the draw-bar and the car-frame by a supporting-plate 3, secured by bolts 4 to the center sills 5. A central longitudinal opening is formed in the supporting-plate 3for the major portion of its length to admit of the traverse 0f the inner end of the draw-bar and of a carrier 34:,whicl1 is pivotally connected to jaws 1b thereon by a vertical pivot-bolt 31a, and an upwardly-extending iiange 3b, which abuts against the outside of the end sill 6, is formed on the adjacent end of the supporting-plate. Strains of draft are imparted to the supporting-plate and thence to the car-frame through front draw-bar stops 3, which are located on opposite sides of the central opening of the supporting-plate and are preferably made integral with said plate, and bufiing strains are taken by the car-frame through similar back draw-bar stops 3e, located at a proper distance from the rear of the supportingplate. Downwardly-projecting strengthening-angcs 3g are formed upon the side of the supportingplate, extending from one draw-bar stop to the other and in position to cover and protect the frictional members of the appliance from the access of dirt and grit. The outer end of the draw-bar is supported by a strap or carry-iron 3, bolted to the supporting-plate 3 and end sill 6.

The frictional resistance members by which strains of draft and buiflng are opposed and counteracted comprise two friction-blocks 8, which are formed integral with or secured to the sides of the carrier 34, two friction-blocks 18, abutting against the friction-blocks 8, and springs 11, by which the friction-blocks 8 and 18 are held in contact with such force as will induce the proper and desired degree of frictional resistance to their relative movement. The abutting faces of the friction-blocks 8 and 18 are in the form of a plurality of inclines eX- tending in alternately-reversed directions, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and il, so as to present wed ge faces substantially throughout the ing with said stops, the length of the blocks 8 being less than the distance between the inner faces of the stops,while the friction-blocks 18 abut at their ends against said stops, and consequently have the capacity of movement only at right angles to the traverse of the friction-blocks 8.

Instead of providing draw-bar stops in pairs with one member located and tting against each end of the interposed Wedge-block 18, as

i. above described, the function thereof could be similarly performed by a single draw-bar stop fixed to the supporting-plate 3 and interposed between the ends of the wedge-block at or near its central portion and having front and rear bearing-faces to abut against corresponding faces on the Wedge-block. This construction I therefore specify as the mechanical equivalent of a wedge-block interposed between end draw-bar stops. It will also be seen that, if desired, the spring-bolts l1a may perform the function of draw-bar stops as well as that of connecting the abutting Wedgeblocks and supporting the seats of the springs 11.

The springs 1l bear on the outer faces of the friction-blocks 18 and at their `opposite ends on spring seats or plates 11b, which are held, as by nuts 11d, on the outer ends of spring-bolts 11a. The bolts 11a fit freelyin the friction-blocks 18, so as to permit the latter to traverse in the direction of the axes of the bolts, and pass through longitudinally-slotted openings in the friction-blocks 8, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs.` 1, 2, and 4, in order to admit of the longitudinal traverse of the blocks 8 with the draw-bar. The heads of the bolts 11a bear on the top of the supportingplate 3, and the bolts are held against rotation by stops 3f on said plate. After the exertion of frictional resistance in either direction of movement of the draw-bar the interlocked friction-blocks 8 and 18 will be released and returned to normal position with promptness and-certainty by the movement of the draw-bar in the opposite direction. It will be seen that the longitudinal traverse of the draw-bar is effected under all conditions without interfering with the normal relation of the abutting members of the frictional mechanism, as the pivotal connection of the drawbar and carrier permits the requisite degree of lateral movement of the coupler-head in passing around curves.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the relative positions of the frictionblocks 8 and 18 may, if desired, be reversed without departure from the spirit or operative principle of my inventionthat is to say, the inclined or wedge faces of the frictionblocks 8 of the carrier may be turned upwardly and the friction-blocks 18 and springs 1l be located above them. It will also be apparent that the friction-blocks may abut vertically instead of horizontally, if preferred, as the same structural and operative relation of the several members would in such case be preserved and the traverse of the frictionblocks 18 would be effected in a horizontal instead of in vertical planes. Again, if desired, the extent of surfaces of frictional contact may be further increased by forming inclined faces upon the upper sides of the friction-blocks 8 and corresponding faces on the abutting portions of the supporting-plate 3. Similarly the area of the frictional contactsurfaces of the friction-blocks 8 and 18 may be increased by forming interlocking inclines on their abutting faces.

In a separate application led by me August 18, 1900, Serial No. 27,282, in which the several detailed structural modifications referred to in the last preceding paragraph are illustrated, I have set forth a draft and buffing apparatus in which a frictional resistance mechanism substantially similar to that herein described and shown is combined with preliminary spring resistance members, for the reception of which the central portion of the carrier 3-1 is made of tubular form. The carrier of said application is also provided with followers fitting in a draft-strap rigidly connected to the inner end of the draw-bar and is made sufficiently shorter than the distance between the followers to permit the preliminary spring members to be fully compressed by the movement of the draw-bar before the friction-blocks are acted upon thereby. It will be apparent that, if desired, the carrier of my present invention may be similar-1y provided with preliminary spring resist- IIO ance members, the operation of which in combination with a frictional resistance mechanism pivotally connected to the draw-bar, as herein set forth, would not involve any modification of or departure from the essential features and operative principle of my present invention.

My invention attains in practice the substantial advantage of enabling any desired degree of frictional resistance to be exerted in opposition to draw-bar strains under a construction which is readily and conveniently applicable in connection with car-frames of any of the ordinary designs lnow in service, which is simple, strong, and compact and in which a material economy is eected by a considerable reduction in the number of parts employed, as compared with prior appliances and of the machine-work required in fitting up the apparatus.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a draw-gear or bufng apparatus, the

esmas combination of a draw-bar, a carrier pivotally connected thereto and movable by traverse thereof, a friction-block having a longitudinal inclined or Wedging face and fixed laterally to the carrier, a friction-block having a corresponding wedging face abutting against the Wedging face of the carrier friction-block, means for permitting movement of one of said friction-blocks at right angles to the other, and means for maintaining said friction-blocks in contact to impart frictional resistance to the movement of the draw-bar and carrier.

2. In a draw-gear or bufng apparatus, the combination of a draw-bar, a carrier pivotally connected thereto and movable by traverse thereof, a friction-block having a longitudinal inclined or Wedging face and xed laterally to the carrier, a second frictionblockrhaving a Wedging face corresponding with and abutting against the Wedging face of the carrier friction-block, and fitted to traverse at right angles thereto, a fixed stop 0r abutment constituting an end bearing for said second friction-block, and a spring maintaining said friction-blocks in contact to im-l part frictional resistance to the movement of the draw-bar and carrier.

3. In a draw-gear or bnfting apparatus, the combination of a draw-bar, a carrier pivotally connected thereto and movable by traverse thereof, a friction-block having a longitudinal inclined or Wedgng face and fixed laterally to the carrier, stops fixed to the frame on which the draw-bar is supported, a friction-block having a Wedging face correspondin g with and abutting against the Wedging face of the carrier friction-block and abutting at its opposite ends against the frame-stops, and means for maintaining said friction-blocks in contact to impart frictional resistance to the movement of the draw-bar and carrier.

4. In a draw-gear or bufting apparatus, the combination of a draw-bar, a carrier pivotally connected thereto and movable by traverse thereof, a friction-block having a longitudinal inclined or wedging face and fixed laterally to the carrier, stops fixed to the frame on which the draw-bar is supported, a friction-block having a Wedging face correspending with and abutting against'the Wedging face of the carrier friction-block and tted to traverse between the frame-stops, at right angles to the traverse of the draw-bar and carrier, and a spring abutting against said last-stated friction-block and against a fixed bearing.

5. In a draw-gear or bning apparatus, the combination of a draw-bar, a carrier pivotally connected thereto and movable by traverse thereof,longitudinal friction-blocks fixed to opposite sides of the carrier and each having an inclined or Wedging face, pairs of stops fixed to the frame on which the draw-bar is supported, friction-blocks, each having an inclined or Wedging face corresponding with and abutting against the Wedging face of one of the carrier friction-blocks, and fitted to traverse between the members of a pair of frame-stops, at right angles to the traverse of the draw-bar and carrier, and springs bearing on, and maintaining contact between, the members of each pair of friction-blocks.

GEO. VVESTINGHOUSE.

Witnesses:

HUGH A. CRooKs, J. SNOWDEN BELL. 

